a thankful heart

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.....
Then he said to him, “Follow me!”  John 21:15-17,19b

last fall He set me to reading Radical. at the end of the first chapter my toes were sore (of course i actually enjoy having my toes stepped on when it's Love doing the stepping). however, by mid-book it almost hurt to take a deep breath. it was a lot to process; how had i missed the depth in these scriptures i'd read so many times before?
after Radical I read Weird, Because Normal Isn't Working, which was very much in line with Radical - only somehow, thankfully, it was lighter on the toes.
the beginning of this year He led me to read Crazy Love. i was excited, i knew the book had something to do with love(obviously) which excited me. otherwise i had no idea what it was about. it's taken a few weeks, i've finished reading it. even after His call last fall to read Radical and Weird, Crazy Love was still a challenging read. it was, yet again, a call for me to look at His Word and see deeper truth. a reminder of what He's calling me to. Crazy, Radical, or Weird, for me it's all one in the same: an invitation to walk with Him, to experience Him, to be loved, and to love  -  really.
and so, in His mercy and grace He had me read the same thing three times. three.    and now, that same Mercy and Grace is telling me it's time to move ahead. one minute at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time. His wonderful, crazy love in me, causing my life to be radical, and downright weird as i follow Him.

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i am forever thankful, forever counting His gifts and giving Him praise (from my 1400's)

living this life one day at a time
that His love is ever reaching
and when He knows it necessary, He will graciously lead me three times to the very same thing

one quiet moment beautifully interrupted by
leaves falling from trees
the perfect "who-hoo-hooo-who" of an owl in the distance
the caw of a crow and
a gander of geese calling over from a neighbor's yard

that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, truly
that i am called to be me and nobody else, simply me; that i am God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for me to do Eph 2:10

that in the midst of being tempted to ask, "why?" He continues to teach me to take every thought captive and the words from my mouth are, "Father God, Sovereign God, God of Goodness and Truth, i trust You; for You alone are God, and i thank You."

the way the sky can be so many different shades of blue

that Saturday we volunteered with SoSA and had our first experience with gleaning
first stop, this sweet woman grew a tree from seed and now donates the fruit

boy love reaching high

my I do

girl love in action

 her one tree yeilded 29 bags of fruit

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

after dropping off harvest one, we headed to site number two, where we were joined by two others also gleaning for the first time
another family donated two of their grapefuit trees for a partial harvest

'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'

together, the six of us gleaned 89 bags of grapefruit
what a joy to serve in gleaning, we are excited for the next time (:

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Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively! 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 The Message

Dear, dear Grateful Friends, I pray that we will open up our lives and live openly and expansively this week!
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace. Num 6:24-26

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